All I Want
by cluelesseyes
Summary: He was going with the one and only Serena van der Woodsen. Boom, boom. Yes, she could definitely hear his heart. Derena. He wanted her because, for some odd reason, she wanted him. It was because he was hers, and she was his. Chair. CHAP 7 UP!
1. All Over Again

**A/N: GET THIS STRAIGHT BEFORE YOU READ ON. They are all in their junior year of high school. Blair's not bitchy; Serena used to be, but is trying to change. They run in different circles. Blair is incredibly smart, and only at Constance on a scholarship because she's not rich. Chuck is Serena's step-brother. No mention of Eric in the story, sorry. Dan's rich. **

**- - - means different perspective now.**

"_Chuck!" a 15-year-old Blair Waldorf giggled, holding Charles Bass's hand as he pulled her along the sidewalk of an unknown area, to Blair, at least. "Where are you taking me?"_

"_Impatient, little girl," he teased, poking her lightly in the arm. "You'll see soon enough."_

_She laughed as he ran faster. She felt her stomach flutter with butterflies, not just by the fact that she was with Chuck, but because they were touching. They were holding hands and she felt electric sparks being shot from his arm to their hands and up to her arms. "Chuuuuuuuuck!" she cried. "I can't run in heels. Are we almost there?"_

_His lips turned up in a delighted smile. "Actually, B, we're here," he told her as he stopped his running and turned to face her. "Well, what do you think?"_

_Blair's mouth nearly dropped to the ground as she saw it. "Wh-what is all this?" _

"_This," Chuck began, leading her into the meadow, "is what I call my sanctuary." He pushed some trees aside, letting her enjoy the complete beauty of the meadow. Violet, pink, white, red, yellow, every color imaginable, actually, flowers spotted the green grass. Dandelions poked their heads up here and there, waiting to be blown. It was so peaceful, it seemed like it was cut off from the rest of the world. "I go here a lot," he explained, noticing how her eyes looked lost in the majesty of it. "You know, just to think and sort things out in my head."_

"_It's beautiful," she finally spoke up, letting her held-in breath escape. _

"_It is," he agreed, nodding. "But not nearly as beautiful as you." _

Blair Waldorf sipped away at her coffee, recalling the memory that had filled her mind so many times. She slammed the newspaper she was reading down on the coffee table in frustration. "Damn it," she muttered under her breath. It had been two years since then, but Blair just couldn't seem to forget. Everything made her think about him. Everything made her think about Chuck Bass. She sighed heavily, resting the coffee mug on top of the newspaper and decided to get ready for school. _Big exam today_, she thought to herself. _Can't screw it up._ But Blair wasn't necessarily worried about that. Academics was the one thing she was good at.

- - -

"Damn it, Serena!" Chuck growled, banging on the bathroom door. "Hurry up in there!"

"Chuck, it's my first day back, alright? I have to look perfect!" Serena yelled back from the bathroom. She continued to apply a fresh coat of lip gloss and curl her hair.

"Get out, Serena!" Chuck repeated over and over, banging on the door simultaneously.

Serena van der Woodsen rolled her eyes and set down the curling iron near the sink. "What?" she snapped, opening the bathroom door.

"What do you mean, 'What?'" he replied disgustedly and pushed against her to get into the bathroom. He picked up his toothbrush and applied toothpaste, brushing his pearly whites. "What's taking you so long?" he mumbled.

Serena stared at her reflection in the mirror, perfecting every minor detail of her outfit. Adjusting her scarf again and again, constantly adding volumizer to her hair, adding a pin to her jacket and then taking it off, you name it, Serena was probably doing it. She couldn't seem to calm down. "Chuck, it's my first day back. I have to look perfect," she said again, not taking her eyes off the mirror. "I left school having people call me names and I'm not going back the same way. I'll give them something else to talk about. Like how fabulous I've become."

Chuck rolled his eyes and spat into the sink. He rinsed his mouth quickly and washed his face, wanting to get the hell out of the bathroom as quickly as possible. "I'll see you in the car, S."

- - -

"Later, dad, later, Jenny," Dan Humphrey said, shutting the door of his condo behind him. He hopped down the stairs and into the limo that drove him to St. Jude's High School.

- - -

Serena shifted nervously in the back seat of their limo, looking out the tainted windows. "Chuck, I'm not so sure about this," she said, her voice shaking slightly.

"You'll be fine," Chuck reassured her. "If anyone messes with you, you've got me to stand by your side, alright? Besides, who would want to mess with Serena van der Woodsen, the baddest bitch in NYC?" he chuckled, hoping her mood would lighten.

She smiled at him wholeheartedly. "Thanks, Chuck."

They arrived at St. Jude's and Constance Billard not long afterwards, and Chuck stepped out first, lending his hand to Serena. She gladly accepted and got out, trying to ignore all of the gaping mouths and shocked stares.

"_Serena van der Woodsen's back!?"_

"_Ha, what a whore. I heard she's only coming back because she got kicked out of her boarding school."_

"_Really? I heard that the girls at the boarding school were eating her alive and she begged to come back. She bribed the dean."_

"_Eww, is that Serena?"_

"_You bet it is. Look at her face; it's so caked with make-up."_

"_THAT HOE IS BACK AT CONSTANCE?"_

"_Look what Chuck dragged in."_

"_Ohhh, Serena's back. Wonder if she'll do it with me in the bathroom."_

"_No way, man! I saw her first. Besides, I need more action than you right now."_

"_Ugh, she's back. Better hold onto your boyfriends, girls."_

"_Fugly slut."_

Serena shifted her eyes to her shoes, blocking out everything she heard people say about her. She wasn't like that anymore. Why did people have to judge her so suddenly? Couldn't they give her a second chance? Suddenly her phone vibrated and she prayed that it would be Kati or Is, the only people that she thought would still accept her. But the person who texted her was far from that.

_Why hello, S. What brings you back? Hiding a dirty, little secret perhaps? Oh, you always do. Go on with your day, darling. I'd love to see how you screw this up._

_xoxo, Gossip Girl._

_P.S. Welcome back._

Serena shut her phone immediately and looked to Chuck.

He gave her a sympathetic smile after getting a text from Gossip Girl that read about how the school whore had just returned. "I'm here," he reminded her. "But you have to be strong. Don't let them get to you."

She nodded as they continued walking up the steps. Serena blinked back tears as she noticed girls flipping her off and guys whistling on both sides of her.

"Serena, I gotta go now," Chuck said when they reached the entrance door.

"No, Chuck!" she pleaded softly. "I can't handle this. Please don't make me."

Chuck shook his head. His sister had become weak, and he didn't know how to deal with it. Of course, it was a big improvement from the bitch she used to be, but he wished she still had some of that fire in her. "You can. I'll just be across the street. We'll see each other at lunch," he promised her, backing down the steps. "Just… stay strong. Give them something to talk about. Like how fabulous you've become." He winked, repeating her words in the bathroom and smiled when she laughed for the first time that day.

He nodded and waved good-bye as he headed down the stairs. He looked at his feet as he jumped from step to step, brushing his shoulder against someone. "Oh, I'm sorry," he apologized, lifting his head to see who he had hit.

"Chuck," the brunette girl breathed, staring at him.

He met her eyes and exhaled. "Blair." There was an awkward pause before he shook his head, breaking himself free from the power of her beautiful brown eyes. "Uhm, I was just dropping Serena off. It's her first day back," he explained, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Blair nodded. "Oh. Well, have a good day."

"You too," he half-smiled, noticing her walk away to the entrance. He let out an exasperated sigh. Why was he so breathless when he saw her? He mentally slapped himself, repeating over and over in his mind that he could've asked to talk to her right then and there. His body seemed possessed at the moment as he walked in a trance, thoughts only of Blair Waldorf. _If only she knew how I felt_, he thought to himself. He grabbed his cell phone and his fingers brushed over the keys as he started a new text.

_B, meet me at the meadow during lunch._

_-Chuck_

He sighed and closed his eyes, hitting send quickly before he could change his mind. _MESSAGE SENT_ the screen read. He smiled slightly and placed it back into the pocket of his raincoat.

- - -

"Hey bro," Dan heard someone call from behind him as he headed up the steps of St. Jude's.

"Nate, what's up?" he grinned, giving Nate a "manly hug".

"Lots," he chuckled, letting go. "Serena's back."

Dan's eyes widened in disbelief. "As in van der Woodsen?" he asked.

Nate nodded. "All the guys are trying to hit on her." He pointed in the direction of Serena leaning against a pole at Constance Billard, her arms folded across her stomach as if she were insecure. Boys were whistling constantly at her, some even approaching her and asking her out though most of them only intended for a big make-out session.

Dan laughed, "I don't believe it," and shook his head incredulously.

"Well, believe it," Nate chuckled and punched him in the forearm. "Do you think I should go over there?"

Dan shrugged. "Do whatever you want, man."

Nate smiled mischievously as he eyed Serena up and down. "I think I'm going for it," he smirked.

"Whatever. I'm heading into class."

"Alright, later," Nate nodded at Dan as he headed across the street.

Dan turned around and started heading to the door, but when he had a hand on it, he paused and let go, directing his attention back to Serena and Nate. He saw Nate slide his arm around her waist. He cringed slightly but sighed in relief when she pushed him away. Nate was smirking at her and trying to caress her face, but she kept slapping his hands away. "Get away from me!" he actually heard her scream from across the street.

"C'mon, baby, just a little bit," Dan imagined Nate whisper in her ear when he saw his head inch closer to hers. The very last image he saw of the argument was Serena biting her lip, close to tears as she tried to push Nate away.

Dan couldn't stand watching it. He turned around and headed into the school. _How can guys just treat her that way? _he wondered. _That's just not right. _ But there was nothing he could do, and he decided just to get into the class and not talk to Nate about it.

- - -

Blair's lips parted, letting out her breath. What did Chuck want from her? Especially in the meadow. Did he just want to embarrass her? They hadn't talked in weeks, and now, suddenly, he wanted to meet her in the one place he knew she couldn't resist. She slowly texted back her answer, not sure if she was doing the right thing. _How can it hurt? _she asked herself, trying not to answer the question.

_I'll be there._

_-Blair_

She hit the send button and buried her face in her arms, pulling back her hair. What had she just done? She'd just accepted an offer that could nearly kill them both, not literally, but emotionally. She shook her head in her hands and finally got up and walked to class, hoping that she could forget everything, at least until the exam was over.


	2. Kiss, Kiss

**A/N: I forgot to mention this last time, but this will not follow the book. At all xD Thanks for the reviews. Keep it coming! **

**The entire time I wrote this, instead I imagined Robert Pattinson as Chuck. Maybe it's because I wrote this chapter after the 16****th**** billionth time I watched the Twilight teaser trailer. ;D tehehee.**

Blair stepped into the meadow, her shoes in her hands as her bare feet grazed against the grass. She hadn't been in this place for the longest time, mostly because she didn't want to run into Chuck while he was "thinking". Her eyes wandered around the meadow. Everything was the same since she last came here. Everything but one thing. One major, disappointing thing. She was holding her shoes, not Chuck's hand. Sighing, Blair set them down beside a tree and headed further in. "Chuck?" she called softly, bending her head left and right to check if he was there.

"Hey," he answered her from behind the tree she placed her shoes next to. "Thanks for coming."

She turned around, placing a hand over her heart. Not just because he startled her, but because her heart was racing rapidly from hearing his voice, his genuine and raspy voice, for the first time in what seemed like centuries. "Of-of course," she stammered and managed to crack a smile.

He returned the smile and stepped closer to her. She reflexively moved towards him. When their bodies were about a foot apart, Blair looked to the side, afraid to make eye contact. "So…" she began, not sure what she was doing. "Why'd you call me here?" she asked him, sitting down on the grass and patting the area next to her.

He gladly took the offer and sat close to her, but not too close, approximately a good one and a half feet. "I just wanted to talk, I guess. I miss talking to you," he whispered, picking at the grass between them.

She nodded. "Yeah, me too," she agreed, turning to pick the grass with him. "But there's nothing we can do."

He chuckled without amusement, more along the lines of frustration and anger. "I know. Don't you hate it?"

"More than anything."

"At least Eleanor would learn to accept it. Bart's completely against the idea of me being with someone that's not," he paused, trying to find words that wouldn't offend her, "upper class."

There was a long pause as Blair continued picking at the grass and Chuck looked around silently.

"Why, exactly?" Blair finally asked, eyes still on the grass.

"Hmm?" he asked, turning to face her. He instantly regretted looking into her eyes and stared down at the grass.

"Why is he so against it? Us being together? I mean is it just because I'm not… rich?"

Chuck sighed, flicking a piece grass. "It's a bit more complicated than that."

"How so?"

"We come from different families, B. Entirely different, and not just because of money, because of everything. We live in two different worlds in my father's opinion."

Blair shook her head. "I still don't get it," she whispered, urging him to continue.

He finally looked across to face Blair, noticing the unfathomable hurt in her eyes. Chuck's face quickly softened, and he so badly wanted to reach out and touch her face. He wanted to be able to comfort her again, but he knew the pain it would cause them both when they remembered the fact that they just couldn't be together. He shook his head, focusing his attention to the trees. "Look at who Bart just married; Lilly van der Woodsen. I'm expected to follow up to that. I'm expected to date, and eventually marry, somebody well, yes, rich, and also someone who's well-known. Somebody that could handle going out in the spotlight and live in a fancy house with a huge swimming pool. It's complicated to explain, but basically, he tells me it's just the opposite of you." His voice lowered at the last part of the last sentence, and he realized how much it really hurt him. He took a deep breath, preparing himself to look at Blair again. He turned to face her.

It wasn't the reaction he'd expected. He was sure that she'd be too stunned to do anything, that she'd probably just be a statue, sitting on the grass next to him. But when his head turned to meet her gaze, he was staring at her waist. It took him a moment to tilt his head up to look at her face when she was standing up. She wasn't crying, but she was extremely close. Chuck could see the red starting to flush on her cheeks from the anger and disappointment. He could see her eyes blinking back the tears. He could see her hands clenched into fists and the constant shrugging of her shoulders, a habit of hers when she needed to calm down. He stood up and grabbed her hand, but she pulled hers away before he could feel the warmth of her skin. "Blair, please," he begged her. "Don't cry." He could hear the pleading sound of his voice. It was unendurable for him to see her this way. Especially since he had caused it.

She shook her head vigorously. "Tell me how I can't, Chuck," she replied bitterly, biting her bottom lip before looking away. "Why did you even bring me here? Just to do this to me? Do you think it's funny to see how I tremble at your presence? Is it humorous that you have this certain control, this power, over me?" Her voice was quivering at this point, and he imagined the tears running down her face.

"Not at all," he told her, his voice nearly silent. No one said anything after that. The only noises were the wind soughing over the meadow and the chirping of birds.

Blair, it seemed like she always broke the silences, turned to face Chuck again. "Lunch is over in half an hour. I'm going to leave now."

Chuck looked up from his feet. He was right, tears had been streamed down her face and her mascara ran. He was paralyzed at the heartbreaking sight; all he could do was nod slightly. _How did I screw this up so badly? _he cursed at himself. He kicked at the grass, just watching her walk away, slowly disappearing through the trees and heading to the driveway. _Do something. Do something, damn it!_

"Blair, wait!" he shouted and sprinted over to her. She turned around to tell him to forget about it, but was cut off when his hands pressed against her cheeks. When his lips pressed against her lips.

- - -

Serena held her books close to her at her stomach, feeling butterflies flutter around and around as she walked to her outside locker near St. Jude's to put her books away for lunch. She could still hear people whispering about her, and the pointing never ceased. Boys had already tried to pursue her, the point only to get some "action" as they always called it. Serena shook her head, trying to discard the thoughts. While doing this, she had not seen the slender boy walking in her direction, and only to increase the humiliation of her first day back, they bumped into each other and her books lay scattered on the floor next to her. "Owww," she moaned, rubbing her forehead with her left hand. Her eyes remained closed after the fall as she hoped she was just dreaming.

To her dismay, she wasn't. "I'm so sorry," the boy apologized, holding her hand, and wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her up. "Are you alright?"

She tried to steady herself against his body and reluctantly opened her eyes. She squinted her eyes slightly to decipher who he was. After a few seconds, she recognized the face. "Dan Humphrey," she whispered under her breath.

He chuckled lightly. "I'm surprised you remembered me."

It took her a few seconds to realize that she was still leaning against him, both hands resting around his neck tightly. "Oh, sorry," she whispered and pushed herself away from him as she bent over and picked up her books. Nothing of his had been spilled.

Dan bent down to help her, but she only ignored him and grabbed an occasional book out of his hand violently. Knowing that he wasn't wanted, he stood up, bringing his hands behind his back. "Well, again, sorry for bumping into you."

Serena bit her lip and rolled her eyes, getting to her feet to face Dan. "Is that all?"

His face contorted with confusion. "Uh… yeah, pretty much."

She looked to the side and sighed. "Fine." With that, she continued on her way to her locker.

Dan watched as she left and shrugged his shoulders. Feeling a pang of guilt, and anger that he had upset her yet again, he rushed over to her and rested his hand gently on her shoulder. "Me again."

She rolled her eyes and continued stuffing her books into her locker. "Yes?" she inquired with exaggerated impatience in her voice.

"Am I supposed to apologize to you for something else?"

"What do you think?" she snapped, slamming her locker shut.

He was taken aback, and Serena could feel it when he immediately took his hand off her shoulder. Instead, he placed it on the back of his head. "Well, I'm stumped. I haven't talked to you the entire day."

She bit her bottom lip, whipping her head around to look at him. "Not today."

He let out a sigh. "You mean before you left for boarding school."

"Bingo!" she said with mock sarcasm. "Didn't think the 'whore of The Upper East Side' would call you on that, did you?"

"I never said you were the 'whore of The Upper East Side.'"

"Rightttt." She puckered her lips and looked up to the ceiling. "Right. Because the exact words you said were 'skankof The Upper East Side.' Sorry, my mistake. Sometimes I just get those words confused." She turned to the side and started walking into the streets, hoping that a cab could bring her back home for her to have lunch.

"Woah, woah, there," Dan panted, catching up to her and grabbed her arm. She shook it off. He placed his hands, palm facing Serena, in front of him, as if to say he was surrendering. And he was. At least in the most Dan-like way he could. "I'm sorry?"

She shot daggers at him. "That's supposed to be a question?"

He sighed. "I'm sorry."

"For?"

"For…" He tried to flip back the pages of his memory journal to recall what he had done. He knew he had said horrible things about Serena, but who didn't? The thing was, his mind wouldn't let him go back there. Because he lov—

"For…" she repeated, crossing her arms over her chests.

"For calling you the 'skank of The Upper East Side.'"

"Pft, I bet you can't even remember when you did."

At this point, Dan couldn't take it anymore. "Actually, it seems like I should apologize that you're not always on my mind."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she asked, surprised, but still peeved.

"It's not like I remember every single detail of when and where and why about you. When you left to boarding school," –this part being a complete lie, but his anger took the most of him- "I didn't constantly think about you everyday. The world's not revolved around you, Serena. GET OVER IT.

"I know I did some pretty crappy things to you. Yes, I know that for a fact. And I'm apologizing. It's hard for me to apologize to someone. It always has been. But the least you could do is to just accept it so we can part ways like we always did.

"So there, I'm SORRY. I'm sorry for calling you a whore, skank, bitch, slut, whatever. I'm sorry! Okay?"

Dan took a deep breath after all of the yelling he had just done, but he knew he was in for some more.

"You can't just say sorry for all those times and expect it to be okay, Dan!"

"Well what the hell am I supposed to do then, huh?! It seems like I can never say anything to please you, Serena."

"Stop trying to please me. An apology's not going to please me. What would is going back in time and preventing all that from happening, but we can't. The least you can do is mean what you say when you apologize!"

"Why do you think I don't?!"

"Because I've met people like you. In fact, everybody in the whole damn school is like you. They say sorry to me because they're afraid of me, but they don't mean crap about what they say."

"Well, I'm different."

"Oh yeah?! How so, Dan?"

He leaned in towards her, resting his hot lips against hers. Although it was intense, it wasn't too out there. She could tell, by the way he intertwined his fingers with hers instead of trying to feel her body and by the way he didn't try to stick his tongue in her mouth, that he at least respected her boundaries. But what did that mean? They finally released and stared into each other's eyes in puzzlement until they heard a few gasps.

Everyone had been watching. And that meant…

Dan felt his phone vibrate in his messenger bag and fished it out. A new text message.

_Oh, Daniel, you don't know what you've done for me. After hiding all your secrets about how much you liked Serena, I was getting a little impatient. The perfect time to release them never came, until now that is. Everyone thinks that kiss was just to get her to shut up? I know the real deal, hun._

_xoxo, Gossip Girl._

Dan clenched his jaw and thrust his cell back into his bag. "Serena, sorry about—"

But she was gone.


	3. Pretend

"Serena?" Dan called out, looking from side to side. "Serena!" The only sounds he heard were the snickers of onlookers and his own heavy breathing. He took one last swift glance and got into a cab, cursing under his breath.

- - -

Blair felt her head spin out of control as butterflies took over her stomach and her hands became clammy with moisture. How she longed to smell his sweet breath, to feel his soft lips on hers, his warm hands pressed against her cheeks firmly. It was almost tragic when Chuck released his hold. They stared at each other wordlessly for minutes.

It was Chuck's turn to break the silence. "So…"

"So.." Blair repeated, breathless.

The corners of his lips turned up in a thoughtful smile, the signature Charles Bass grin. "Did that surprise you?"

"Definitely." She nodded, still lightheaded.

He finally let out a deep chuckle. Soon enough, she joined in on his laughter and their fingers intertwined, foreheads resting against each other. He embraced her in a tight hug. _I never want to let you go_, he planned on saying, but decided to go for a whispering "I love you."

Blair froze, her head resting on his heart. She could feel her own heart thumping wildly against his body, and she blushed at the thought of him being able to hear her heart beat. "That's the first time you ever said that to me."

He smiled. "The first time to anyone."

She looked up at him. "Really?"

"Mhmm," he answered somewhat matter-of-factly as his eyes bore into hers. "I love you. I love you."

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She took awhile to collect her thoughts, and he waited patiently for her reply.

"This can't be happening," she finally said.

"What do you mean?"

"You can't love me," she sighed, every word filled with hurt and lies. "You just can't." She shook her head and buried her face against his shoulder.

"I can because I do."

"Chuuuuuuck," she whined. "Why are you making this so hard?" She choked back on a few tears. "Maybe you shouldn't have kissed me. You shouldn't have said that. I should just leave…"

"No." He said it so firmly that it surprised her. "I did, and there's nothing you can do about it. I know you feel the same way, B."

"I know you know I do. The thing is, we can't. We've been down this road before. You KNOW we can't be together."

"I think you're forgetting one important thing."

"What is that?"

"I'm Chuck Bass."

She laughed and rolled her eyes. "And that helps against our parents how?"

He pursed his lips. "I don't know. But I got you to laugh, and seeing your smile is all that matters to me at the moment. "

"You always could," she reminded him.

He nodded. "So I was just thinking… about our parents…"

"Yes?"

"How about we just not tell them?"

Blair shook her head. "Impossible."

"Is it really?"

"For me, yes. I've been moping around for the past however long it was, and now I'm happy. Won't that kind of cause some suspicion?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, yes, unless…." he trailed off, running the plan through his own mind before saying it aloud. She analyzed his face while she waited.

"Prom's coming up," he said suddenly.

"And?"

He sighed. "The person who asks you… Pretend he's you're new boyfriend." My, how those words stung the two teenagers.

Blair's mouth fell open. "What?" she managed to say. It felt like the air had been knocked out of her. Pretend to be in a relationship… pretend to be in love with someone who wasn't Chuck Bass? "Impossible."

"We have to. It's the only way we can see each other. But of course, there's always the obvious option."

"Which is what?" she asked, willing to do anything except date another person.

"Just to not be together."

"Out of the question," she snapped immediately.

Laughing amusedly, he replied, "Then we have to pretend."

"What if no one asks me?"

Chuck shook his head. "Have you seen you?"

Her face flushed a deep pink and she looked down, letting her hair fall in front of it. "Fine. We'll do it." All through Blair's mind she could imagine how it would be like to lie to her mother about this mystery boy that might, or might not, ask her to the prom. And then she'd have to say he was her boyfriend! She shuddered internally at the thought. She couldn't imagine herself with anyone besides Chuck.

He nodded, lifting her chin to meet his eyes. "It's for the best. You know that I can't stand to be with anyone besides you." He gave her a reassuring smile, to which she responded with a reluctant grin.

"Do you promise? So many girls are after you, Chuck. How will you be sure you won't fall for your pretend-girlfriend?"

"Because she won't be you. No one will ever be anything like you. You are the most beautiful, smartest, sweetest, delicate, lovely girl I've ever met. And my list can go on and on. I'll never love anyone but you."

"I love you, too," she whispered.

"I know," he smiled. "I have that power remember?"

She blushed yet again and buried her head in her favorite spot, the nook of his shoulder. "So who do you plan to ask?"

He shrugged, stroking her hair. "I don't know yet. We'll see who you get asked by first. So we'll meet here every lunch. You leave first, then a few minutes I'll depart so no one will see us going from the same place. Deal?"

"Deal," she sighed. She still didn't like the idea of pretending to be someone else's girlfriend, but she had no other choice.

Chuck kissed the top of her head and lightly pushed her away from him. "Go. I'll see you next lunch. Same place, same time." He flashed her his brilliant smile and, after giving him a peck on the cheek, she left, feeling uneasy. He watched her pick up her shoes and exit the glamorous meadow, the place he now could call his true sanctuary.

- - -

"Six dollars, kid," the cab driver demanded when the cab pulled to a stop in front of The Palace.

Dan slapped the requested amount into the driver's hand before thanking him and hopping out. The Palace—like how the meadow was Chuck's "thinking place"—was Daniel Humphrey's "thinking place", though he liked to just call it his "favorite place".

When he arrived inside the bar area, the bartenders greeted him with a smile and nod. It was obvious he had been here before. Unfortunately, someone had not known that.

Dan waited before grabbing a seat, specifically because his favorite spot was occupied by an attractive girl with long blonde hair who happened to be carrying the same purse as Serena van der Woodsen. _Oh crap,_ Dan thought to himself. He inched closer to the bar slowly, hoping not to attract attention, without looking at the blonde.

"One more martini," Dan heard Serena order to the bartender. He was half-surprised at this and decided to take a peek at her. Seven empty martini glasses stood in front of Serena, a few toppled over.

_Maybe they're not all hers_, Dan suggested to himself. But if that was true, why did all of them have Serena's lipstick print on the rim? The bartender was about to slide a glass towards her when Dan stepped next to her and waved his arms. "Aye, aye, no more for her, please. Seven's plenty." He glared at the man. _Mental note: get Alexander fired._

Serena twisted her head towards Dan and stood up, grabbing her purse at the same. "Who the hell do you think you are, trying to control what I drink?" she slurred. She tried to walk out in the most graceful way she could, but unluckily lost balance on her high heels and fell face down. "Shoot," she mumbled, struggling to regain her composure as her face turned a beet red.

"Here, let me help you with that," Dan suggested, grabbing onto her arm and pulling her up.

Once she was back on her feet, she jerked her arm away from his grasp. "Thank you," she said rather bitterly and walked away.

"Wait, Serena," Dan called softly, pulling her back. He gestured for her to sit down on a chair at the bar. She hesitated, and he sighed, sitting down first. "Please."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she muttered and complied.

"Thank you," he semi-smiled at her. "Two marti—I mean, two waters, please," he told the bartender. Their waters came out and they drank without anyone saying a word for a few minutes.

The silence was unbearable. "About that kiss, sorry, it was totally uncalled for," Dan finally spoke.

"Oh, yeah, definitely," she agreed, just slightly disappointed.

"Yeah… I just wanted to apologize. About, well, everything."

"It's—it's okay."

"And I'll apologize on Nate's behalf, too. What he did was just… crossing the line," he shook his head in disapproval at the memory. "And I'll say sorry for all the other guys, and—"

Serena laughed for the first time that day. "Dan, it's okay. Stop."

"What? Really? You forgive me?"

She shrugged. "I was a whore."

"You were a whore."

"Okay, I can say that, but you can't, okay?" she giggled.

"Right, right," he laughed along and pretended to zip his mouth. "That word will never come out of my mouth again, at least in correspondence to you."

She gave him a genuine smile. Were those drinks making her this nice? "Truce?"

"Yes. Definitely, a truce," he grinned and extended his right hand, shaking it as hers came into contact.

"So just to warn you, you're like my only friend," she sighed and took a big sip of her water. "Gosh, I can't believe no one will give me another chance."

"Hey, it's going to get better," he assured her, patting her back. "Just hang in there. It's only your first day back, after all."

"I sure hope so."

Awkward silence settled in. Dan wanted to tell her so badly how he felt. This was the nicest moment he ever had with her. Would it last? _Life's too short to have regrets. You have to take risks. _"Uh, Serena…"

"Yes?" She straightened her hair after taking a sip of water.

"Prom's coming up…" he trailed off.

Her body became rigid. "What? Chuck… he never told me about that." Prom. The place where anyone judges everyone. She could just picture what people would say about her.

"_Her boobs are practically hanging out of her dress!"_

"_Did you see Serena dance with him? What a whore!"_

"_Serena was totally just humping that guy."_

"_Look at how slutty she looks!"_

She took in a bit more water. "Shoot."

"What?" His tone was worried. Had she known what he was about to say? Was she rejecting him already?

"Prom. Oh my gosh. It's just another time for people to criticize me."

He had to sigh in relief at that. So it wasn't his fault. And he knew the perfect way to not sound too desperate. "Well, if it helps, I could be your date-slash-bodyguard. You know, make sure no one teases you or anything?" He picked up his glass of water to prevent himself from saying anything else. He would wait patiently for her answer.

She looked at him incredulously. "Oh, no, no, no. I couldn't put you through that. I mean, I already probably ruined Chuck's rep. I can't do that to you."

"Serena, I insist. I don't want anybody saying mean things about you. I'm your friend, remember? It's what friends do." He cracked a smile at her, meaning every muscle that twitched his lips.

"Dan—"

"Oh, I'm sorry, was I supposed to ask in a more romantic way?" Oh, his witty little humor.

And it seemed to work on the blonde. Laughing, she teased, "Fine, Humphrey. I'll go with you. But if someone beats on you about it, I warned you."

"Oh, I think I can take care of myself." Boom, boom. Boom, boom. Could she hear his heart beating? He was going with the one and only Serena van der Woodsen. Boom, boom. Boom, boom. Yes, she could definitely hear his heart.

"So tell me," Dan continued after recollecting his thoughts, "what made you come back?"

Serena chugged the last sip of water, and, turning to him, opened her mouth to speak.


	4. Happy Ending

"So that's what really happened?" Dan enquired, mind glued to the conversation with deep interest.

Serena nodded. "Only my mom knows. I haven't even told Chuck yet." She looked down to the ground, eyes filled with shame.

Dan chewed slowly through the information he had just learned. "Uh…" Speechless.

"It's okay. I wouldn't have much to say if I were you either."

"Did you check with a doctor? To make sure—"

"Oh, yeah," she cut him off. "I'm clean. It's just the memory of it that haunts me. The way I woke up in the morning, not knowing what had happened the previous night until my friend told me." She shuddered at the thought.

"Wow."

"Yeah," she scoffed. "I thought going to boarding school would be so good for me after being the slut I was at Constance. I was sober the entire time. And then one stupid party I left my cup of Pepsi out, and the date-rape drug, and then the sad truth coming out the next morning. I still don't know who it was to this day." She sighed. "I tried so hard. I just had to get out of that place. Then I come back, and everyone still thinks I'm a whore. I'm not. I just wish people would take the time to get to know me before judging."

Serena… raped? Dan couldn't believe it. He would never look at her the same. He sure as hell wouldn't let anybody backtalk her anymore. "Well, they'll have to get through me first," he responded, smiling the way any friend would.

To that, she smiled back like anybody thankful would.

- - -

Blair hurriedly rushed out of the classroom, got to her locker, put her things away, grabbed her lunch money, and got out of the high school. This had been her routine for the past week. She also traded from her signature heels to more comfortable ballet flats.

"Smart," Chuck had noted when he saw them on their third encounter in the meadow. "This way you can hold my hand more than your heels."

The memory faded from her mind. This was their sixth visit in the meadow, and so much had changed. She braced herself for what she was going to tell him. _Deep breaths_, she reminded herself.

The meadow came into her vision and a smile spread across her face. A few more steps and she would be in Chuck's arms. _One, two, three, four, five…_

"Hello beautiful," Chuck greeted from behind a tree as she came dashing into his arms.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pressed herself closer to him. "I have something to tell you."

"What?"

"Someone asked me…"

"Really?" His tone was not at all surprised. It was about time somebody asked her. His voice was more saturated with disappointment. Of course it was his idea to let her go with someone else, to pretend she was in love with someone else, but it's not like it didn't hurt. "Who?"

"Nate Archibald." She never even met Nate before the day he asked her, so she wasn't sure if Chuck knew him. How could she describe him though? She wouldn't mention to Chuck that he was the incredibly hot boy from St. Jude's. No, that was just not the way to go.

Chuck released his hold on her. "Nate Archibald?! You mean the notorious sex machine?!"

"What?"

"Blair, don't tell me you don't actually know who Nate Archibald is."

She definitely was not going to say that he was the incredibly hot boy now. "I don't know him. Not until he asked me. He just said that he heard I was really smart, and he was into smart girls. He said I was pretty, too."

_Like that's a shock._ "You can't go with Nate."

"Why not? He seemed perfectly nice."

_Just so he can get into bed with you. _"Haven't you ever read his scandals on Gossip Girl?"

Blair rolled her eyes. "Since when do I ever read Gossip Girl? I don't believe in that, nor do I have any time."

"Well some things she says are true. In fact, most are. Everything about Nathaniel Archibald, well, that's all true. He… he gets with girls very easily. You think he just wants to talk, and then he'll do it with you right then and there. I don't trust you with him."

"Oh, Chuck," Blair laughed, "I'll be fine. Don't worry. I'm not like that at all."

Chuck let out a deep breath, unsure of trusting Nate and Blair together. After minutes of contemplating, he sighed yet again, and, shaking his head, agreed. "Okay."

"Sooooo," Blair tried to avert the direction of the conversation off her, "who are you planning to ask now?"

He cocked an eyebrow up. "Ever heard of Jenny Humphrey?"

Blair shook her head. "No."

"She's a freshman. I'm only going with her because I know she won't get any ideas. The reason I picked her was because Serena's going with some Dan Humphrey, and Jenny is his little sister."

"O-oh," she stuttered. Jenny Humphrey. Freshman. Sounded harmless enough. "A freshman?"

"Well yes, I'd pick that rather than being gay."

"Wait, so, Serena and Dan Humphrey? What? When did this happen?"

"Apparently a week ago. She only told me a couple days ago, though. They're not together or anything, but I think Serena's starting to form a crush on him." Chuck shrugged.

"And your parents know?"

"They're ecstatic about it, really. Especially Lily. She's so happy that Serena's back on her feet and found someone that makes her smile."

"Lucky them," she murmured.

Nodding, he raised his hand to stroke her cheek. "Extremely. But we'll make it there one day. I promise."

Her stomach fluttered with butterflies at his mere touch. It was so stupid that Blair still got nervous around Chuck, but she couldn't help it. He certainly did have a power over her.

"So, um, what color is your suit?" she asked when his hand fell off from her face, and they were staring at each other.

"Silver," he laughed. "It's what Bart wore on his first wedding, and he insists I wear it to prom." Rolling his eyes, he looked down at himself, trying to picture wearing the incredibly formal suit. "You?"

"Nate's wearing a blue suit, and you know how much my mom likes to sew. I'll just ask her to make me a dress."

"Ah, I see." _There goes mentioning Nate again. If he lays one finger on her… _"So when did Nathaniel ask you?"

"Yesterday afternoon. When did you ask Jenny?"

"Yesterday afternoon, in fact."

"Oh." The conversation turned awkward for some strange reason in Blair's opinion, and she decided it was time to leave. "I have a test next period," she told Chuck. "I should get back and get a seat near the teacher. It's oral."

"Okay," he replied, though finding it a bit strange since there was half an hour left.

"Bye Chuck," she whispered as she gave him a tight hug and pecked him on the cheek.

"Bye, B. See you next time." He winked at her, and, as the routine always went, he watched her leave.

- - -

"Bye, Dan," Serena smiled as he dropped her off at her house.

"See you tomorrow. Have a good night, okay?" he grinned back.

"I'll try," she chuckled. "Thanks for standing up for me yet again."

"Anytime I'm needed, I'll be there," he promised.

"Okay, I think I hear Chuck calling. Bye!" Serena waved to him as his limo drove away.

She tip-toed up the stairs, face growing increasingly red with each step, each event that occurred on their "date" coming into mind. She let out a soft giggle, hoping not to wake anyone. She was, after all, coming home at midnight, and on a school night to add on top of it all. After finally getting up to the kitchen, she opened the fridge, wanting to whip up a midnight snack. _Bread, eggs, fudge, ham, broccoli, fish…_

"Hey sis."

"Ah!" Serena jumped, startled by the sound. She flipped the light on and saw Chuck on the couch, reading his literature book. "Chuck, what are you doing up so late?"

"Couldn't sleep," he shrugged. _Blair's going to prom with Nate. How do I sleep knowing that? _

"Well, don't tell mom or Bart about me coming late, okay?" She grabbed two spoons and a carton of Ben&Jerry's ice cream before skipping over to sit on the couch opposite Chuck.

"Of course I won't," he started, bending over to grab a spoon, "as long as you tell me where you were."

"With Dan," she mumbled, licking the chocolate ice cream off her spoon.

"Why did I not guess?" he questioned sarcastically. "You've been hanging out with him a lot lately. Have you forgiven him for what happened last year?"

"That past is in the past, Chuck."

"Yes, but Serena, he called you every slut-related word imaginable."

"But he's the only one who apologized, and plus, I really need a friend now. I trust him. He's been good to me."

"It's only been a week," he pointed out.

Serena nodded. "I know. But still, haven't you ever heard of love at first sight?"

"You LOVE him?" Chuck inquired, book-marking the page he last read. This was too good to only give it half of his attention.

"No, but I'm just saying, I can forgive someone in a week if people can fall in love in a second."

He shook his head and leaned back against the couch. "You make no sense."

"Whatever," she laughed and rolled her eyes at him. After eating a spoonful of ice cream, she realized it was her turn to ask the questions. "So what's this thing with you and Blair Waldorf?"

"What thing?" he tried sounding nonchalant.

"Chuck," she narrowed her eyes at him. "I know you and her have been going to lunch together in that place you used to go to so much."

"What makes you think that?"

"Because I found it in a ripped page of Blair's diary. I have World History with her, and I saw her writing in her diary when she finished her test. She ripped it out and was going to throw it in the trash, but she missed, and I picked it up."

"Serena!" he whisper-yelled, not wanting to wake up their parents. "That's an invasion of privacy."

"Well, I was just looking out for you. I mean, I knew there was something up when you disappeared at lunch the day I came back. But now that I think about it, that's how I met Dan. So thank you."

"You're so welcome," he rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry, Chuck, you and Blair will have your happy ending."

"You think?"

"Oh yeah. It was meant to be." She winked at him and grabbed the carton of ice cream off the table, setting it in her lap as she dug into it with her spoon.

He smiled, satisfied. "Thanks, Serena." Chuck got up and patted his sister's back. He completely forgot about Nate, and was finally relieved enough to allow sleep.

- - -

"Hey mom," Blair grinned at her mother after drying her damp hair. "Can you make me a dress for prom?"

"Of course honey!" Eleanor Waldorf's face lit up. Creating dresses was her passion. "What color do you want it to be?"

"Sil—" she began to say but paused. _Silver's Chuck's suit. Nate's suit is blue. I'm supposed to match my date right?_

"Silver?" Her mother's question broke her away from her thoughts. "Silver? Is that the color of your boyfriend's suit?"

Blair took in a deep breath, and the corners of her lips curled up. "Yeah. Silver. Thanks, mom, good night. I know it'll turn out beautiful." She hugged her mom and hopped off to her room.

"Wait, Blair," her mom called after her.

She stopped in her tracks and turned around. "Yes, mom?"

"What's the name of your new boyfriend again?"

She sighed and put on a fake smile. "Nate. Nathaniel Archibald."

"Sounds like a great guy."

"Mhmm," she agreed. "He's the best."


	5. Get Ready

**A/N: Sorry, it's a short chapter and I'm not really that proud of it. Next chapter, though it may not be long, will be exciting, I promise! And thanks so, so much for all the reviews :)  
**

Excited chatter, jumping girls, and whooping screams filled Constance Billard's the day of May 10. Likewise could be said for St. Jude's, except for the jumping girls. Yes, you guessed it, it was prom day. And who was more excited for prom than anyone else? Gossip Girl.

**- - -**

"Chuck, I need help," Serena's voice called to her stepbrother.

"Again?" he laughed in response, throwing his head back with the slightest bit of frustration. "I have to get ready to, you know," he reminded her as he approached Serena in the bathroom to help her for what seemed like the billionth time.

"For Blair?" she teased, making kissing noises.

"Sh!" he shushed her and looked outside the door from side to side. "Bart could've heard you. That would have been my ass, S," he whisper-scolded, shutting the beige door and locking it.

Waving her hand to shake it off, she turned around, her black ball gown swaying at her feet. "Which earrings?" She held up silver hoops in one hand, glistening chandeliers in the other.

"Ugh," Chuck groaned, throwing his head back once again. "How am I supposed to know? Do I look like a girl at all?" He sent a glare in her direction, and apparently, it was more to the right.

"Hoops it is!" Serena cheered, turning her back to him as she faced the mirror.

"Am I done? Or do I now have to help you with your shoes?"

"Ha ha," she fake-laughed and shook her head slightly to avoid messing up her straight hair. "Go, Chuck, go. Pamper yourself. Make yourself look great for Blair, oops, I mean Jenny."

The door was opened half way at this moment, and Chuck, dressed in his father's silver wedding suit but otherwise unready, replied hastily, "Gladly." The mention of Blair's name made him want to speed up.

- - -

"Cologne," Nate Archibald said quietly to himself before raising his wrist to his nose. "Check." He looked over his shoulder on top of the laundry basket. "Corsage, check." Reaching into his pocket, a mischievous smile landed on his face. "Condoms, check."

- - -

"Jenny, calm down," Dan begged his little sister as she continuously pounced on him with her "Can we go now?!"'s.

"I'm sorry, I'm just really excited to be going to prom!" she squealed, falling backwards onto his brown and blue football sheets. "My dress!" She immediately got back up to her feet, checking her silver bubble dress for any wrinkles. "Phew," she sighed when it proved none.

"Alright, are you ready?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes!"

- - -

With a deep breath, Blair Waldorf turned around to face the mirror, awaiting her reflection in the glass. "Wow," she gasped.

Her mother stood behind her and stepped closer, her already-there smile spreading. "You look gorgeous, honey."

Tears could've brimmed Blair's dark brown eyes. Never would she have thought she could have ever looked this beautiful, not even on her wedding day. With their finances down the drain and Blair only at Constance on a scholarship, how would it have been possible that the beautiful brunette in the mirror, staring right back at her and mimicking her every move, was really Blair? She'd never gone to any of the fancy parties or the dances. Tonight was special. Tonight was her night. "Thank you so much, mom," she beamed. She raised her right hand to lightly tousle her hair, styled with loose curls. Her hand trailed down to her silver spaghetti strap dress, adorned with rhinestones on the thin straps. A grin formed on her face as she felt the soft silk. "Mom," she began.

"Yes?" she replied, standing right beside her daughter now.

"Why don't you sell your dresses?" Blair proposed, running her hand down the side of her dress. "They would make a lot, I bet."

"Oh no, no, no," her mother laughed at her silly suggestion. "I just make dresses for fun. They're not nearly as great as Versace or Dior. Besides, I don't use diamonds, I use rhinestones."

"So? They could still sell for a ton of money. Your fabric is so fine." She turned to face her mom as she said this, eyes gleaming with joy. "An Eleanor Waldorf original."

Her mother shot her a warm smile, cocking her head slightly to the side. "Oh, Blair. You bring so much me so much hope." She rested her arm against Blair's left shoulder. "You look beautiful. You'll have so much fun at prom," she promised before heading off to answer the doorbell.

Blair sighed wearily. It was time. She glanced at her reflection once more before picking up her white-sequined purse.

Her mother stopped her before she made it out of the door. "Blair, honey, I thought you said Nate was wearing a silver tux."

"He is. I mean, he was, but he changed it last night. I didn't want to pressure you into making a new one," she lied lamely.

"Oh, alright. It will look a tad awkward though, won't it? Do you want to borrow a blue dress I made for myself? Sure, it looks a little old for you, but—"

"No, mom, it's okay," she smiled reassuringly at her. "It'll be fine." She walked out of the bathroom and saw Nate through her peripheral vision. "Hey Nate." Her face brightened with a smile.

"Blair, you look… stunning," he breathed. "But you're wearing silver."

"I know, sorry," she whispered. "I couldn't find a blue one that suited me well."

"It's fine, you look gorgeous anyway," he grinned teasingly and kissed her on the cheek before applying her corsage onto her hand. "There, perfect."

Her cheeks turned a deep crimson as she fumbled to pin the flower onto the left flap of his suit jacket. "Okay, done."

He looked down at the white flower. "Looks great. Ready to go?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," she chuckled softly and leaned into him when he put his arm around her. "Bye mom!" she shouted over her shoulder.

- - -

The black limo slowed to a halt in front of the Bass estate as Dan and Jenny hopped out. "Isn't Chuck supposed to be picking me up?" she questioned, confused.

"Well, yeah, the guy is supposed to, but Jen, you're a freshman. Does it really matter this time? I'm supposed to pick up Serena anyway."

"Fine," she groaned, sending Dan an eye roll. "I just wanted the full experience."

"Well you'll get it in two years, so just wait."

"I guess," she shrugged.

The two slowly made their way to the door, Dan with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. He knocked a few times on the door, and it was opened a few minutes later by a very personable-looking Chuck Bass.

"Jenny, these are for you," he smiled thoughtfully at the girl as he handed her a single rose. He held her hand as he led her into the house and nodded his head at Dan. "Daniel, come on in. Serena will be down in a second."

"Sure, sure," he answered, preparing himself for her arrival. How will she dazzle him this time?

Upstairs, Serena held a black bobby pin in her mouth as she twisted her hair up into a French bun. Holding it in place temporarily with her left hand, she grabbed her bobby pin out with her free hand and positioned it into place. _Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up! _she mentally scolded herself. _You don't want to keep Dan waiting!_ She quickly picked up her purse from her bed and dashed downstairs while trying to not trip over her heels.

Dan sat on the couch, waiting for his date and turned around when he heard the clanging of her shoes against the hardwood. "Oh my gosh." His mouth almost fell open. He couldn't describe how, after all the times she had already done it, she took his breath away this time. It felt like he had died and gone to heaven, and she was all he saw there.

She smiled radiantly at Dan as she approached him, for he was still frozen, and teased, "Are those flowers supposed to be for me?"

"Uh, uh, yeah," he responded, breaking through his reverie. "Hope you like them." He picked them up from the table and handed it to her gently.

Taking a whiff, she couldn't help but chuckle at his sweet and generous gesture. "I do. They're great."

He smiled at her, still stunned. "Well is it time to go now? I'll do your corsage in the limo."

"Oh, a limo huh?" she winked teasingly. "I'm impressed."

"Well, you should be," he laughed back, opening the door for her as Chuck and Jenny skidded in on the other side. Dan pulled the corsage from out of his pocket, feeling the excitement bubble in him as the black stretch limo roared to life.


	6. Prom

**A/N: Here it is you guys. The chapter you've all been waiting for :D Hope I don't screw up.**

Chuck stared out of the tinted windows of the Humphrey's limo, his chest heaving with sighs. He paid little attention to the other occupants in the car, especially little Jenny. He knew it was rude of him, considering that she was his date and that he had asked her, but there wasn't much she did that captured his mind. It was wandering off somewhere, thinking about Blair.

His thoughts wandered back to freshman orientation, where they first met.

_Light rain drizzled on the tops of students' umbrellas as they rushed into the joining hall of St. Jude's and Constance Billard's. Students were mingling and taking pictures of the school they were about to attend inside. _

_Chuck Bass was talking in the center of the hall with a group of girls trying to get his number. It was natural for Chuck to be surrounded by girls; he was always the play-boy type. He threw his head back and laughed at one of the girl's comments about the uniform, and spotted an unfamiliar person standing in one of the corners._

"_Who is that?" he whispered to the girl he was next to as he pointed to the shy brunette._

"_Her name's Blair Waldorf, probably. It was the last name tag on the table."_

"_Blair Waldorf," he mumbled, liking the sound. "Excuse me, ladies," he smiled charmingly and pushed his way through to meet this "Blair Waldorf"._

"_Hello," he greeted as he neared her. "You're Blair Waldorf, correct?" _

"_Yes," she replied, a bit timid. She smiled softly at him and turned away, gazing around the hall at the different people. _

"_I'm Chuck Bass, and it's my pleasure to meet you, Blair." He grinned warmly and shook her hand. _

_She simply smiled and dropped her hand when they were finished, and she excused herself politely before moving through the sea of people. Chuck was left there in awe. Never had a girl walked away from him, and that just made him want her even more. He knew from the moment he saw her that she was beautiful, there was no doubt about that, but her mystery made him want to know her._

_The same girls he had previously been with came up to him, giggling like little school girls. "Oh, Chuck, you'll never believe it!" "She spilled punch all over herself!" "Did you see the hole in her pants?!" _

_He knew Blair was not one of those types of people and he immediately pushed through the crowd, hoping to find her, without even saying goodbye to the girls._

How was it that one girl could change Chuck? He had cheated on people before, smoked, taken drugs, and it had all changed when he met Blair. He never told her that he loved her, not until their first encounter in the meadow after their break up. He didn't want to admit he had fallen for someone he shouldn't have fallen for. But it had to be Blair, and he had to come clean. She was the only person, he thought, that could ever impact his life, and he was sure as hell glad it was her.

"We're here," Serena said softly, nudging Chuck's shoulder.

"What, where?" he questioned, sitting up straight in his seat. He completely lost track of reality.

"Prom," she reminded him patiently. "Jenny's waiting for you outside."

"Oh, right," he groaned and put his jacket on as he got out of the limo. Slamming the door shut behind him, he glanced around at the decorations and something caught his eye.

Some couple, actually.

Chuck squinted to get a better look. Blair's right hand loosely gripped Nate's left elbow as he led her into the school. Chuck's teeth grit together at the sight of his touching her. _If he lays one finger on her inappropriately, I will personally send out his funeral invitations. _

Then Chuck noticed the actual girl. His jaw loosened, and his mouth dropped. His breath had been taken away, and he just stared, not even realizing he was conscious. He steadied himself against the limo since it had not yet left, and simply admired her. If he had thought she looked beautiful everyday, he didn't know how he could describe how he thought she looked now. His heart lurched, making him want to get into prom even more. Walking into the school, though he was holding Jenny's hand, his eyes never left the brunette. _It's a sin to look that good._

Blair saw Chuck behind her and grinned.

He returned the smile. "You look beautiful," he mouthed.

"Thank you," she mouthed back before turning forward to sign her and Nate in.

He signed himself and Jenny in after them, and as they entered, couples were already dancing, but it seemed like Dan and Serena were commanding the floor. Chuck gave out a soft laugh as he saw how happy his stepsister looked. A smile crossed his face, elated that she felt okay in her own skin. No one seemed to bother her, anyway. His eyes wandered around the dancing hall and planted themselves on Blair.

She was dancing with Nate, head resting against his chest. Chuck sighed. It was prom, and it was his idea. He might as well have fun tonight. "Jenny, would you like to dance?" he charmed her, bowing.

"I'd love to, Chuck," she grinned, curtsying before letting him lead her onto the dance floor. They rocked with each other to the slow song, but Chuck constantly worried about Blair.

Occasionally, she would meet his eyes across the floor but shied away quickly. The song ended and shifted to _Your Guardian Angel _by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. Blair's heart leapt at the first few notes, recognizing it immediately. She pushed away from Nate, excusing herself by telling him she was going to have a look around, mingle. She ran across the floor, hoping to find Chuck but he beat her to it. Warm hands wrapped around her waist as she breathed in his scent.

"You don't think I wouldn't dance with you to our song, do you?" his raspy voice whispered into her ear. She placed her arms around his neck and leaned so close to him that there was no distance between their bodies.

"Would anybody be suspicious?"

"It's prom," Chuck replied, smirking. "No one ever sticks with their dates."

Memories flooded Blair's mind as she hummed along to the song.

"You took my breath away tonight," he warned her.

She laughed. "Thank you. Though it's the typical reply, you don't look so bad yourself."

He hugged her tighter to him, never wanting to let go. Never wanting to let her dance with anybody else. He kissed her inconspicuously on the cheek. "Save me the last dance."

"Of course," she promised him as the song ended, releasing her hold on him.

"Do you mind, man?" Nate asked from behind, grabbing Blair's arm. "Or do you guys still want to dance?" There was no trace of impatience or hostility in his voice.

"No, I'm fine. She's your date," Chuck unwillingly said, trying to eliminate all traces of hostility and frustration in his own.

"Thanks, Bass," he smiled at him and led Blair away.

Chuck's eyes remained on the two.

"Come on, let's go talk somewhere quieter," Nate suggested.

"Um, sure," she agreed. _Talk. _There was no harmful implication in his words. She followed him into the storage closet. "Why here?" she laughed.

Shrugging, he switched the light on and offered her a seat atop of the extra desk. "I don't know. It was the first place I had in my mind." He walked over to where she was sitting and kept his hand on her knee. "You look incredibly gorgeous, I swear. You're the prettiest girl tonight."

"Really?" she blushed unknowingly. "Thanks." Silence. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

"Hm, how about we not talk?"

"What do you mean?" Confused, she cocked her head to the side.

"I mean…" He cupped her face with the hand that wasn't on her leg and moved his head forward so that they were inches away. He closed his eyes and leaned closer to her until his mouth was on hers.

It happened so quickly for Blair. Everything was in a blur, and she didn't know what was happening until she realized she couldn't speak. It dawned on her at that moment, but it was too late. Nate's iron grip on her face was too tight. She pressed her hands against his chest, trying to push him away but he took it as wanting to rip off his shirt.

A smirk formed on his lips, and his hot breath forced Blair's lips to part, allowing his tongue entrance. He slipped his jacket off quickly and ran one hand up and down her thigh, the other hand trying to undo her zipper.

Blair took a deep breath, head dizzy. She mustered as much strength as she could to make him move and pushed. He lost his balance slightly and stayed on the wall for support. "What was that for?" he asked rather seductively.

"Please, Nate, don't." Her voice was barely audible.

"C'mon, live a little," he smirked, pulling condoms out from his pocket. "Don't worry, I came prepared." He winked mischievously at her and tore one off from the rest of the chain.

Fear wound its icy fingers around her neck. _Crap, crap, CRAP. Why didn't I listen to Chuck?!_

Nate moved closer to her; she was immobile as stone. He placed his hands in the spots they were formerly at and trailed his kisses from her temple down her face to her neck all the way to her collarbone. She couldn't move. She was too stunned to do anything, but she felt her eyes water reluctantly. Her zipper was pulled all the way down at this moment and his shirt was halfway unbuttoned.

Then, like a scene in a movie, the mahogany door burst open. "What the hell are you doing to her?!" Chuck roared at Nate. "Get off!" He charged at him like a bull and easily pushed Nate out of the way.

Blair, still too surprised, sat there powerlessly, just like a damsel in distress, watching as Chuck punched Nate square in the face.

"She's my fucking girlfriend!" he screamed. "Don't _ever _touch her again!"

"Okay, okay!" Nate shouted between punches and kicks. "Just stop!"

"Chuck." Her voice broke on the name.

"God, Blair," Chuck whimpered. "Are you okay?" He rushed to her swiftly and lifted her off the desk. She fell into him, sobbing lightly but nodded her head anyway. He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. "I'm here, I'm here." He pushed her away from him for a second to make sure she wasn't hurt. Wiping away her tears, he pleaded for her to smile; seeing her like this broke his heart. He pulled her in for a hug, his arms feeling the cold skin on her back. A snarl formed on his lips as he zipped her dress back up.

"I'll make your life a living hell, Archibald," he growled at Nate, who was still on the ground, wiping the blood away from his mouth.

"No, Chuck, please. Let's just go," Blair demanded feebly.

"Okay," Chuck agreed and ushered her out, letting her wear his jacket.

Once they were back on the dance floor, Serena came to confront Chuck. "Where have you been?!" she whisper-shouted at him. "Jenny's been looking for you."

He nudged his head towards Blair, who was resting on his shoulder, face down.

"Oh gosh," Serena gasped, noticing the mascara streaks on her face. "What happened?"

"Nate fucking Archibald tried to have sex with her."

"Are you kidding me?" Her voice sounded outraged. She recalled her first day back, how Nate tried to pursue her. She recalled how she was raped at boarding school. "No one should be treated like that."

"No one," Chuck nodded in agreement. He noticed Dan coming to meet them through his peripheral vision. "Dan's coming. Go have fun, I'm going home to take care of Blair."

"What about Jenny?"

"Tell her I got sick and I had to leave."

"And Bart? He'll eat you alive."

"He can kiss my ass. I'm tired of pretending, anyway."

"I'll go, too. Just to back you up," she suggested.

"No. You'll stay here, and you'll have a great time with Dan. No one's called you anything yet, have they?"

She shook her head. "No."

"Then stay." He winked at her and walked away. "I'm leaving, Daniel. I'm feeling a little sick. Tell your sister that I'm truly sorry."

"Will do," Dan nodded and patted him on the back as he passed. "Feel better." When he got to Serena, he handed her some punch and asked her who the girl on Chuck's shoulder was.

"Blair Waldorf," she answered.

"Blair Waldorf? The incredibly smart girl?"

She nodded. "They're kind of a thing."

"Since when?" His expression sounded genuinely shocked.

She shrugged. "It's forbidden-ish. I'm not supposed to talk about it with anyone. Promise me you can keep a secret."

"Promise. I have about the whole boarding school thing, remember?" He grinned sweetly.

"Oh yeah, and uh, Blair, tonight she was..."

- - -

"Chuck, this is prom. Are you sure you want to leave?" Blair insisted on him staying when they were close to the door. "I'll go home alone, it's fine. I'm not going to ruin your prom."

He shook his head and sighed, tired. "I'm not going to have a good time without you here."

"Then I'll stay."

"But you won't feel good, and knowing that you don't, I won't have a good time. I'd rather go home anyway. I don't want to see Nate's face." His snarl reappeared. Blair winced.

There were taxis ready at the curb, waiting to take students to the after party. Chuck got in the first one. "We're skipping and going home."

The taxi driver chuckled. "Getting on early, eh?"

Chuck grimaced and Blair felt uneasy at his words. "Hardly," Chuck replied bitterly. "Just go." He gave the driver his address, and the car backed away from the school.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Chuck enquired, letting his fingertips gently brush her hair away from her cheek.

She nodded weakly. "As okay as I can be after what happened." She leaned against his shoulder and yawned. "Thank you so much. How did you know where I was anyway?"

"I told you I didn't trust him, remember? I kept my eye on you guys, and when you didn't come out of the closet for awhile, I got worried."

"You're my hero," she sighed rather drowsily, eyes closed.

He laughed. "You're welcome."

"Chuck?"

"Yeah?" He looked down at her.

"Sorry you never got that last dance." She yawned again and snuggled closer to him.

"That's not entirely true just yet." He chuckled. "And Blair?"

"Mhm?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too," she smiled.

They were still and silent for the rest of the car ride. The only sounds were their teen heartbeats and the light humming of the car's engine.

**So I don't think it was exactly my BEST chapter, but I tried. Next chapter will be about them coming home (Bart's reaction) and of course, Gossip Girl's sightings.**


	7. Chicks Over Dicks

"Thank you." Chuck nodded at the cabbie, slapping the valuable green paper into his hand. He carefully slid his arms under Blair—one under her shoulders, the other under her knees—and picked her up gently, hoping not to disturb her slumber.

Her head rolled to the side as he picked up her limp body. "Chuck?" So quietly and drowsily said, it sounded like the wind.

"Yes?"

"Your father's going to kill you."

He laughed a hard laugh. "Yeah, I can imagine."

She peeled her eyes open and stared into the warm brown ones above her. "You were right about Nate," she mumbled. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you."

He shrugged, pushing the door into the house.

"I can walk."

He nodded and kindly set her on the ground.

"You're not saying much," she pointed out.

He sighed, shaking his head. "There's not much to say."

She eyed his living room slowly; the last time she was there was when Bart ordered Chuck to never see her again. She couldn't help but shudder at it. What if it happened again? "I'm sorry I ruined prom."

"That's… not necessarily true," he replied, sounding a tad bit smug. He walked towards a black rectangle and pushed a few buttons.

Before Blair knew it, music engulfed the room and Chuck's hands were on her waist.

"I'd like to have my last dance with you before I get killed," he laughed to himself.

"That's not funny," she muttered against his chest. "We'll be back to not seeing each other again."

He shook his head, gently playing with her hair. "Don't think about that yet. Just enjoy the music."

They danced until the door swung open, and Serena's blonde hair swung through before the rest of her body did. "Chuck, you're still alive!" she enthused, half joking, half not.

"Mhmm," he whispered, mouth unmoving.

"Oh, sorry, interrupting a moment," she apologized and tip-toed to the kitchen.

Blair closed her eyes and sighed, taking in the moment one last time before the song ended. She gave Chuck a little squeeze before pushing him away. "Naw, it's okay, Serena."

"Sorry again!" she called from the kitchen, popping her head out to check on them.

"Jenny? Dan?" Chuck enquired, furrowing his eyebrows.

She bit her lower lip. "Dan took her back home before he went to take care of Nate."

"What?" Blair asked, astonished. "What? What does that mean?"

Serena replied, "Don't worry. They're friends. He's just probably setting him straight; what he did was inexcusable." A grimace formed on her face, but she quickly wiped it away before they could notice.

Blair nodded, hoping that Dan wouldn't make a big deal out of it; she didn't want it to spread.

"I won't let it get out," Chuck whispered in her ear as if reading her mind.

She leaned against him, and he held onto her waist with his left hand. "Thank you," she said quietly back and stretched on her tip toes to kiss him on the cheek. Focusing her attention back to Serena—she must have felt awkward—Blair questioned, "So how was the rest of prom?"

Shrugging, she went back into the living room and plopped onto the couch, a homemade sandwich in her hands. "It was okay. I told Dan what happened—I hope you don't mind, Blair, it just wasn't right—and he told me to go to the after party without him. He wanted to talk with Nate." She rolled her eyes at the name. "But of course, I couldn't go to the after party without him, plus knowing that you guys were here, at home, totally distraught."

Chuck took Blair's hand and led her to the couch across from Serena, letting her head rest in his lap.

"I like your dress, by the way," Serena mumbled, smiling.

"Oh, thanks," Blair blushed and looked down at her mother's creation. "My mom made it. Yours is really pretty."

"Thanks," she laughed. "Wait, your mom made that? It's gorgeous."

Nodding, she ran her hands over the delicate silk. "It is. I told her to sell her dresses, but she refuses, thinking that they're too cheap or something." She rolled her pretty brown eyes, feeling a bit of the fabric between her index and middle fingers.

"She should really pursue it," Serena recommended, eyeing the dress's design carefully. "I would have never known that your mother made it. It looks… quite professional, to be honest."

Her face beamed. "If only I could convince her that. She just thinks I'm being nice." Another eye roll.

"No way, it's so—"

"Charles Bass?" a deep, gruff voice called from the kitchen. The three teenagers in the living room froze at the voice. The brunette hadn't heard it in two years, but she knew who it was immediately. The anger in it gave him away.

"Yes, father?" Chuck muttered, pressing his lips into a hard line.

"A word, Charles." It was not a suggestion; it was an order. "Now, if you have the time."

"And if I don't?" He took a deep breath through his nose and winced slightly. He would get hell for disobeying his father at this time.

"Now." Bart pressed, and they saw his eyes go directly to Blair.

She immediately sat up and directed her eyes elsewhere, on a vase with purple lilies in them. Blair heard Chuck take another deep breath and felt the weight being lifted off the couch as he got up and approached his dad.

They walked away from the two girls slowly, and Bart waited until they were out of the kitchen to begin his scolding. Too bad they could still hear. It wasn't until they were upstairs, in the study, that the remaining teenagers could no longer eavesdrop on the conversation. Serena got up to take a seat next to Blair on the other couch and rested her hand on hers. "I'm sorry about this. My step-dad can be a—"

"Pain," she finished and burrowed her face on the back of the seat.

"Exactly," Serena sighed.

- - -

"How could you do this?!" Bart was yelling upstairs in his study. He had repeated the same question over and over as they were walking up the stairs. "Are you idiotic? How dare you go against my word?!"

Chuck shook his head slowly as he sat on his dad's red leather chair. "I won't say sorry for this."

"Who are you?!" Bart shouted, placing his hands on the desk to steady himself. His face was inches away from his son's, and Chuck cringed as he felt Bart's steamy breath, seeping with rage, on his face. He could also see a vein throbbing in his father's forehead, the one that appeared whenever he got mad. It became more apparent when he was outraged. Like now.

"What do you have against her?" he dared to ask. "She's a 17 year old girl. What has she ever done?"

"You went against my word," he spit through his teeth.

"I wouldn't have if you'd have let me date her in the first place. So what is so wrong with Blair Waldorf?" Chuck demanded to know.

Bart took several breaths through his nose before continuing. "She is not one of us," he stated simply.

"What, because she's not rich?!" He pushed himself off the chair and laid his palms flat on the desk, causing Bart to back away slightly or they would have been touching. "Or because she's not a bastard?"

"You will take back what you just said."

"No."

Bart huffed and pushed himself off the desk, pacing back and forth across the large study.

Chuck stared at him as he did so, counting the moments of silence. _1 minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 8 minutes._

"Why her? Bart asked suddenly, turning his exhausted eyes back to his son. "You could have any girl you want, and you pick her." He sounded repulsed on the last word, which bothered Chuck, but he let it slide.

Pursing his lips in consideration, he ran through his head why he did pick Blair Cornelia Waldorf, instead of one of the many girls that liked him, and that, in turn, his father liked.

He wanted her because her hair smelled like apricots everyday, and her cheeks flushed the most beautiful red when she got embarrassed, which happened frequently. Because she apologized for every little thing, even if it wasn't her fault. Because she had the nicest and brightest smile he'd ever seen. Because she tripped over her own two feet all the time. Because of the way her head fit perfectly in the nook of his shoulder when he was holding her, and how her arms were like iron grips around him. He wanted her because, for some odd reason, she wanted him for who he was. It was because he was hers, and she was his. Because…

"I love her."

"Love?" Bart scoffed and his voice turned serious as Chuck watched his eyes momentarily bulge out of their sockets. "You're seventeen. You don't know what love is."

"And you do?" Chuck spit caustically. "This is your, what, 4th time remarrying?" His brown eyes turned into slits.

His father stopped his pacing and stared at his son. "That is an entirely different story."

"You remarry because you grow tired of being with the same woman everyday. You remarry because she turns out to not have enough money, or because she's not beautiful enough. It's only a matter of time before Serena and I aren't siblings anymore. You don't marry for love, father, and you know it. You don't know what the damn word means." He felt a rush of adrenaline course through his veins. He did it; he stepped up to his father.

Bart sighed after some minutes. "It wasn't because she wasn't rich. It was because I thought you deserved better than her."

"She's the best out there," Chuck countered.

"There's nothing I can say to make you change your mind?"

Chuck shook his head.

"If I put you in a room with twenty beautiful, single girls who, well, okay, were wealthy—"

"Blair would be the only one on my mind," he said quickly. He knew the answer. That already happened during freshman orientation, but with more girls.

"I suppose there's nothing I can say then."

"No, there isn't." Had he really won?

"I'm not going to apologize for my behavior, though, Charles."

"And I won't either, but you better get used to her. You'll be seeing her a lot." A smirk tugged at his lips.

Bart sighed heavily and lowered himself into the chair next to the cabinet of books. He threw his head back and crossed his arms across his chest, closing his eyes in the process. "Go."

And Chuck did. He walked out of the study, closing the door behind him.

"How was it?" he heard Serena ask from the couch.

"I think I won." He let out a little laugh. "I think I actually did. Where's Blair?" Scanning the living room, he realized she was nowhere in sight. Her shoes were gone. His coat was folded on the couch.

"I called a taxi to take her home. Her mom wakes up a little after 3:00 a.m. to get ready for work, and she wanted to be home before she had to confront her. " She watched him sit on the other black couch. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

He shook his head. "What'd you and Blair talk about?" he hedged.

Serena took in a deep breath. "I told her why I left boarding school." Her voice was just slightly above a whisper.

"Oh." Chuck nodded and pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Why… why _did_ you leave?"

She winced and told her story to her stepbrother for the first time.

- - -

"You will never touch someone like that again, Nate," Dan scolded him again, slapping his arm.

Nate flinched as the stinging pain traveled to another spot on his body. "I've had enough hits for a night, man. Give me a break." Running his hands down his face, he gently massaged the sore bruises. "Ugh!" He threw himself down on his bed.

"You deserved everything you got," Dan said through clenched teeth.

"How could you say that?" he asked, still lying down. "I'm your best friend, and yet, you're protecting that Chuck Bass." He rolled his eyes. "I don't even know why he came in to 'save'"—he made air quotes around the word—"her. He said something like she was his girlfriend? Well if they were dating, why did she go to prom with me, huh?"

"Their parents won't let them see each other or something," Dan replied, sitting next to Nate.

"Woah, wait," Nate laughed quietly, propping himself up and muttering curses when it hurt, "they really are dating?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, wow." Another burst of laughter.

"What the hell?"

"That little bitch was using me."

Dan slapped Nate's left cheek and watched him fall backwards before he slammed the door shut.

- - -

Her face was pushed to the computer screen, fingers typing rapidly against the keyboard. "Gossip girl dot com," she whispered to herself, so, so quietly. The lights were off in her room, and she was snuggled under her blankets as her laptop roared to life. "Gossip girl dot com," she whispered ghostly again.

_Hey Upper East Siders. How was prom? Oh, you didn't go? That's no problem. Gossip Girl here with all your wish-you-were-there sightings._

_**Spotted:**_

_Let's start off with Gerard Rivers. What do you got there, G? Looks like you're getting high off something that looks very similar to a little thing I like to call cocaine. _

_Faith Levits wearing the most fake and tacky-looking Coco Chanel dress my eyes have ever seen. Honey, you didn't fool anyone._

_Kristen Hall spitting on boyfriend—or should I say ex-boyfriend?—Richard Olimar's tux. Why so jealous, K? Is it because R kept checking out Hillary Peterson in her totally skimpy dress?_

_The lip-virgin Aaron Hilton was groping every girl he could get a hold of, probably because no girl in their right mind would ever let him hold her like that if they were outside of prom, the most exciting night of their little junior lives. Look at the pictures under this blog. Chris, your hands are supposed to be on her waist, not her ass… or her other parts. Poor little Elizabeth Parker looks like she's dying. Who could blame her, though?_

_Party-girl-reformed Serena van der Woodsen looked stunning in her black dress, and oh, who is that eye candy on her arm? No, your eyes are not deceiving you. That really is Daniel Humphrey, who looks dashing, holding her on the dance floor. Remember when he used to talk behind her back all the time before she left to boarding school? What happened to that? Guess S is really trying to change her image. How long will it be until we all get caught up in her spell?_

_And now perhaps the biggest prom news I have for you little gossip-mongrels. A debut appearance from a Blair Waldorf. Don't know her? That's okay, neither did I, which, I must admit, I am ashamed of since she made my night. Little Miss Waldorf went from being a nobody to a somebody in just one hour. Apparently B went to prom with a Gossip Girl familiar, Nate Archibald. Maybe it was because she was new to these type of things, but she didn't match N's blue tux. Instead she wore a non-designer, but nonetheless still gorgeous, silver dress. I last spotted her on the dance floor, getting cozy with another Gossip Girl familiar, Chuck Bass. There was an old rumor that I dismissed about these two previously dating, but tonight proved me wrong. You see, N pulled B away from C to take her into a storage closet. How romantic for a first time. N took advantage of little B in there, until boyfriend C came in to rescue. His date? Freshman Jenny Humphrey, sister of D who was the date of S, C's stepsister. Small world, isn't it? Seems like he just left her on the dance floor to go to B's rescue. What happened to N? Well let's just say when you see him on Monday, his face will be a little... beat up. C packs a punch stronger than we expected. Don't mess with his woman, boys. It looks like they're the real thing now. They left right after the incident, and stepsister S followed about half an hour later. Looks like I'll be needing to keep an eye on this Blair more often. _

_Hopefully this cured your prom-gossip thirst. Until next time, Upper East Siders._

_**You know you love me.**_

_XOXO,_

_Gossip Girl_

She realized she was holding her breath the entire time she read the last bit of gossip. For the first time in her life, Blair Waldorf was reading Gossip Girl. For the first time in her life, Blair Waldorf was actually _on_ Gossip Girl.

**Apologies for the lateness and the badly-written Gossip Girl blogs. But if you still review, you'll be my hero :)**


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